Inspired by Cars with Boxer Engines

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Some 22 years ago I built a BMW Cafe Racer out of my Dad’s 1979 R100RT. 18 years ago I sold it under pain to a young guy who was looking for a birthday present for his father who turned 50 and I needed the money for the restoration of an old house we had just bought.

Now, about three months ago nostalgia struck and I started looking for the bike again – after all, it was a one off. Finally, one week ago I picked it up from the guy I had sold it to in 1995. His dad had some knee problems and quit riding about a year ago – lucky me!

He kept the bike in remarkable condition, it basically looks exactly the same as almost two decades ago. With a couple exceptions: For comfort reasons he had the seat upholstered and raised by about one inch. Plus he replaced the clip-ons with some touring handle bars. Not so hot. But everything else is perfect. Have a look!

Just when you think you found a surviver with lots of original paint I recommend not to touch it. Because if you do, you might actually find the original paint – but also all the other layers on top. The sides of my bus were apparently painted tree times: First by Volkswagen at the Hannover plant. A second time when one of the previous owners converted the panel van into a window bus. And a third time, when someone decided to convert the window bus back into a panel van. I am going to be No.4.

Tazio’s T1 is on the way to its rejuvenation. It was stripped off all the jewellery last week getting ready to have the rusty spots removed. Its quite the miracle that it doesn’t have many, considering that this bus lived in Finland all its life. The “Taubenblau” color will stay since the interior and large parts of the skin still feature the original paint.

The idea is to keep it simple but give it some contemporary performance: Porsche 912 engine, front disc brakes, 5,5×15 Porsche 356 wheels with 185s.

… actually quite a ways East, about 450 kilometers from the birth place of 356s and 911s lies the perfect playground for these machines and the location for the 1. International Porsche Days. September presented itself as the perfect time. Breathtaking was not only the weather but equally so the cars and the roads across the Großglockner. Definitely the Porsche highlight of Zell am See in 2012.